House of Galbraith

House of Galbraith Jure et dignitate gladii The Coat of Arms of House Galbraith Country: Holy Orenian Empire Founder: Sir Edward Galbraith Current Head: Philip Galbraith, 2nd Viscount of Rivia Heir Apparent: George Octavius Galbraith, 3rd Baron of Rivia Titles: Viscount of Rivia Baron of Rivia Ethnicity: Heartlander Languages: Common Religions: Canonism

The House of Galbraith is the current ruling house of the Viscounty of Rivia of the Holy Orenian Empire. Many notable politicians and officers from the Empire are members of this house. The House descends from Kaedreni gentry, and was granted it's official peerage in 1837.

History

The title of the Barony of Rivia is not one unique to the House of Galbraith, it dates back to the founding of the noble Order of the White Rose. In its current state it is under House Galbraith, an Angreni house of somewhat common origin. The Angreni being a peoples that have weaved themselves into the tapestry of mankind as warriors and philosophers, and as keepers of sacred traditions and order, Galbraith is selfsame. The Galbraith family found it’s original home in rural Kaedrin, primarily composed of soldiers and minor landowners, members of the Galbraith Family fought as mercenaries in the war of the two Emperors for Joseph I. The family upheld martial traditions or worked in minor bureaucratic roles for the Government at the time and could be regarded as being in the lower middle class of gentry.

This somewhat humble origin is in deep contrast to what the House is now, as a result of the martial diligence of Sir Robert and statesmanship of Sir Edward and Sir George the family was elevated to Barony on the 12th Sigismund’s End, 1837. Robert only petitioned for peerage after the exhortation by his close family and colleagues within the ISA’s upper Officer Corp to do so. Shortly after his marriage to Princess Anne in 1850, the House of Galbraith was upgraded to that of a Viscomital House. Since this uplifting of the title the many members of the House continued to work most diligently within government and the Imperial State Army, most notable of which being Philip and Thomas Galbraith. After the Dwarven sack of Lower Petra the Viscounty of Rivia relocated itself to be with it’s cultural brethren in Upper Petra, the Houses of Helvets and Darkwood.

Architecture, Familial Heads and Iconography

The House of Galbraith has a rich martial history and this is reflected in its architecture, like it’s cultural relatives Rivian keeps are decorated with the spoils and achievements of their Lords, bear pelts, helms and other trophies are found commonly decorating the halls and bedrooms of the keep. The fortifications of House Galbraith are of Agreni styling, as would be expected of such a House, The Viscounty of Rivia features a large tower with surrounding keep dotted with merlons and crenels, and machicolations lining the exterior. To an untrained eye the manors of the House Galbraith may appear to be even ISA fortifications however it is with a deep rooted heritage that they belong in their place.

The first head of the House of Galbraith was Sir Edward, a man marred with controversy. As a result of growing discontent of Sir Edward publicly and in the Cabinet after two impeachment inquiries, in the year 1781, Sir Edward's wife wrote a letter to him on behalf of herself and the rest of the family, disassociating them from him, through excommunicating him from the family. Resulting in a complete rift between the Edwardian and Georgian sides of the House. After this period of instability the headship of the family fell to Sir George Galbraith, of whom worked diligently and furthered the House in terms of his career however it is argued by many that due to his lack of notice of the familial side he was unable to bear a suitable heir. As a result of this Sir Robert Galbraith became head of the family, a different man from the previous two, he was not focused upon the bureaucracy of the Imperial Government and instead poured his focus into the Imperial State Army. Through this outlet he reconnected with the families’ origins and pressed on to ensure peerage for both himself and his house resulting in the title of the Baron of Rivia and later Viscount. The Viscount of Rivia was later granted the ancestral sword of “Fat George” a name jesting upon the illusion of Sir George’s obesity, and a sword which the family is nonetheless proud to wield.

The House of Galbraith is associated with a plethora of iconography, primarily the rose and boar. The rose, a symbol of purity most associated with the order of the white rose, an order described as synonyms with the fatherland of the Angreni. The boar, an animal of stock and strength is a personification of the martial determination and strong-willed perseverance of the House Galbraith be that militarily or administratively the House is deeply associated with these qualities. The men of Rivia are most commonly found as armour clad cavalry elements of any military operation, with historical and distinguished service within the Helena Dragoons. With naming schemes appearing somewhat odd when compared to the rest of the Angreni peoples, the House of Galbraith has as of recent adopted many High Imperial names, most frequently in the names of the offspring of Philip Galbraith.